


BlackBird

by TeaSippinSpirit



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, M/M, Mates, Slow Build, True Mates, world building
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-15
Updated: 2020-08-15
Packaged: 2021-03-05 19:47:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,721
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25910803
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TeaSippinSpirit/pseuds/TeaSippinSpirit
Summary: Let's not make a big thing out of this guys...you know the story, soul mates find each other and go through the growing pains of needing to be with each other at all times.**A lot of set up and world building, will be slow burn**
Relationships: Katsuki Yuuri & Victor Nikiforov, Katsuki Yuuri/Victor Nikiforov
Comments: 9
Kudos: 77





	BlackBird

**Author's Note:**

> Unedited by anyone but me. All mistakes my own. I do not own Yuir! On Ice or any of it's characters and give full credit to the wonderful creator for their characters, though I definitely like to put them into interesting scenarios that are completely my own.
> 
> This isn't anything particularly unique or earth shattering--Just some nice warm, comfort tea for you beautiful people. Be ready for the world building in this chapter and the set up. Next chapters will be more focused on feels and slow building of pressure. Love pressure ;D

Yuuri’s eyes landed on the man sitting behind the large desk; eyes focused on his computer with his fingers resting over his mouth and chin, concentrating on what he was reading. His eyes flitted back and forth on the screen quickly, fully absorbed in it’s contents; his jaw tensed subconsciously. 

His scent was powerful, there was no other word Yuuri could think to describe it. Smokey and salty, like a tropical storm, Yuuri inhaled it deeply from his position in the doorway and allowed it to fill him mind, body and soul. He didn’t register his own legs moving, but he was now beside the man, leaning down and smelling the air around him. The man hand’t noticed, still too absorbed in his screen. 

There was worry painted plainly on the man’s face, causing a peculiar double wrinkle between his eyebrows. His body was stiff and ridgid, tense in every sense of the word and Yuuri nearly drooled at the prospect of correcting that. 

He slipped into the man’s lap, pressing his face to the strongest release of the man’s sent at the crook right where the jaw ended and his neck began. Shock overtook the underlying scent but was almost immediately replaced as the man inhaled and melted. The man leaned back, body going almost fully limp as they inhaled together and a jolt of electric satisfaction shot through Yuuri’s body. 

He nuzzled happily against the man’s body, letting the scent wash over him in waves. The smokey salt scent changed slightly then, an added layer of contentment and relief mixing into it beautifully. The man’s arm moved and Yuuri felt as a hand rested on his hip, holding him close as it gripped him. 

A gentle but firm hum caused the man’s chest to rumble pleasantly under Yuuri’s body and tingles exploded under his skin. Yuuri had never smelled someone so wonderful in his entire life. It was intoxicating and exhilarating, delicious and completely his now. He would never be without this scent again, not for one moment, never. 

There was a jump under him as the man tensed again, his body straightened and stiffened and suddenly Yuuri was being pushed away from that most fragrant spot. He struggled against the interfering motion, but the man’s strength was too much for him and he was pushed away fully, held at arms length. 

Yuuri was high on the scent, his vision blurry from those precious few seconds of blissful darkness against his neck, but he could register the man’s breathing. Intense, labored. The harsh breaths were no doubt an attempt to clear his mind, but Yuuri intentionally released more of his own scent. The man’s grip slackened slightly and Yuuri took advantage of it, pulling himself flush against him again, nuzzling against that scent in pure, overwhelming bliss again. 

It lasted a much shorter time as the man got his grip again and not only pushed him away, but jumped out of his chair. Yuuri whined, a pathetic mew that set the man’s heart pounding and put his scent to another mixture, this time of both concern and agrivation. 

Yuuri heard him gulp, his hand was outstretched in a silent warning, though his eyes seemed more welcoming. His neck was tilted ever so slightly toward him, subconsciously likely, but still an invitation. Yuuri had been thrown against the desk in the man’s haste to get away from him, and he steadied himself back on the ground, eyeing the man in both anger from being denied and desire from the show of strength. 

“No! Stay.” The man said, firmly. His voice was deep, a clear command, one that Yuuri had no intention of obeying indefinitely, but would for now. 

His voice had been heard and the woman who had sent Yuuri into the office poked her head inside curiously. 

“Oh dear...what happened?” She asked feverishly, running inside immediately, noting the computer screen which had fallen off the desk when Yuuri’s body had been thrown into it. 

“Grab Yakov and get him out of here.” The man demanded. Yuuri took advantage of his glance toward the woman and he slinked forward again. The man captured him with a stern look and set his jaw. Yuuri stopped. 

The woman disappeared and they stared at each other in silence. Yuuri noted how blue the man’s eyes were, how silver the hair, how beautiful in every way. He looked him up and down slowly, taking in every angle of his body and he took another step closer, unconsciously. 

“No.” The man said again, as if to a dog. Yuuri obeyed again, puffing out a small whine as he stopped. 

The woman and presumably this Yakov person arrived and he heard a gruff voice grumble out “What the hell is going on, Victor?” 

Victor? His name. It filled Yuuri’s mind now like a chorus of church bells and he thought there was no name ever as beautiful in the history of the world. Victor. 

“He must be close to Heat,” Victor said angrily. “Take him to the break room for a few minuets and then have one of the Betas take care of him. 

Yuuri had come to the St. Petersburg Omega House today as a transfer from a local House in Detroit. The House had closed due to many violations and the Omegas had been scattered around, being taken in by any House that had room. The St. Petersburg Omega House had been one of the only Houses left in the world that actually had more than one space available and Yuuri had been sent here along with several others from the Detroit House. 

Today was his meeting with the Director, it was something Yuuri had never done before and he had been nervous. His case manager had told him that St. Petersburg just ran a little differently and that the meeting was just to make sure that he was comfortable and to make sure they were able to accomadate anything he needed, but Yuuri had convinced himself somehow that it was an interview. 

He hadn’t expected on walking into the Director’s office and being surrounded by such a magnificent scent that he would loose control. He hadn’t realized that the Director was so beautiful, so fragrant and powerful. 

All thoughts of his interview were pushed from his mind the moment he’d landed eyes on Victor though, and now all he could think about was getting back to him. Having that scent fill him with every breath and feeling the heart beat that pulsed under him.

Yakov was stalking closer to him now, and Yuuri watched his approach in Victor’s gaze as it followed the old man’s movements. He counted, waiting for Victor’s eyes to linger on the man for three Mississippi’s, and then he moved, quick as a flash, bombarding Victor before the Alpha had a chance to stop him. 

He inhaled the scent again, right up against it and he felt Victor’s body slacken again against the wall behind him. That’s right, Victor, it’s okay. Relax. 

Victor did, his head tilting slightly, giving Yuuri more access as a relieved deep hum broke through his vocals again. Yuuri nuzzled at the smooth skin, pressing a soft kiss there and causing Victor to hum again, this time in appreciative pleasure. 

Their scents were mingling again, a cycle of inhaling and exhaling from both of them, enjoyment pulsing through him with every breath, when he was pulled away. The action actually startled him, it wasn’t Victor who had done it this time, but the Yakov man. 

Yuuri mewled pathetically and Victor, instinctively jerked him back toward him, only to realize what he was doing last second and pushing him back into Yakov’s arms. The old man wrapped his arms tightly around Yuuri’s middle, clamping his arms down to his sides as the struggled to get back to the Alpha. 

Victor was panting again, his body already tensing back up and Yuuri struggled to get free to remedy that. He couldn’t form words, his brain still high off of Victor’s scent, but he moaned and whined so pathetically that even he felt sorry for himself. It was a desperate cry, a pathetic and agonizing wail, that he refused to quiet as the old man walked him out of the office. 

They were passed the woman’s desk, every head in the office was poked out of doors watching the scene with interest, but Yuuri did not stop. The further away from Victor he got, the more desperate his cries were; squeaking and hoarse at the same time, tears almost pricking the edges of his eyes when Yakov’s grip lessened. 

“Wait!” 

Victor’s voice was deeper and more coherent, but just as desperate and painful as Yuuri’s cries were. It’s what caused the old man to loosen his grip and when he’d fully let go, Yuuri darted back into the office and into Victor’s arms. 

The relief washed over Victor’s body in waves; his shoulders rolling forward as Yuuri found his spot back against his scent gland. The relief was replaced almost immediately by worry and agitation. Yuuri could fix that. 

He nuzzled his nose against Victor’s jaw, inhaling the flowing scent happily, mewling softly as his hands tugged gently on Victor’s shirt. Victor’s hand found it’s spot on Yuuri’s waist again, not pulling or pushing, just resting there, content

Being a Director of an Omega House was no small job. Victor was glued to a screen at all times; his phone, tablet, laptop or desktop. It was his life and he was passionate about it. Omega Houses were notoriously understaffed, over populated places where Omegas stayed in cramped quarters waiting for the day when they either found their mate or aged out of the fertile phase of their life. 

They could be corrupted places where Omegas were bought and sold or they could be neglectful or, more often than not, they were just under funded and Victor had a personal goal to fix these issues in his own House. 

He had taken over as Director nearly 10 years ago and over that decade he had made slow but steady changes. He had expanded the House, purchasing a large estate in the country to give more space for the Omega population. He had implemented safe courting spaces and rules that allowed the Omegas to be courted under close surveillance of the staff so that no Omega left under false pretenses. He had redesigned the mating agreement so that after and Omega left their House to be with their new mate, the House could still make occasional surprise visits to make sure the Omega was being well cared for. 

All of these changes, along with several more, had given St. Petersburg Omega House a reputation as somewhat of a high classed House. It wasn’t a private House, and so anyone could court the Omegas there, but they were well fed, in good health and often given tools for learning and studying vocations. 

St. Petersburg Omega House was a pillar of the community and the town had enjoyed being part of the changes. Donations began to pour in to help keep the changes funded, people started demanding better treatment for State House Omegas and Victor had always taken pride in the fact that he had a tiny role to play in the changes. 

But in all of his years as Director, Victor had never encountered anything like this. 

Yakov had called one of the social workers who had just happened to be in the building today, to come and see if she could provide any input into what was going on. Despite his theory, Victor had started to realize that Yuuri wasn’t actually in Heat or even Pre Heat, the scent wasn’t right, his scent was completely normal--well, not completely normal. Honestly, Victor had never smelled anything so wonderful before in all his life, he couldn’t even put words to describe the scent, only that it was soothing and warm and filled his entire body like warm honey. But it still wasn’t a scent thick with Heat. 

They had moved back to Victor’s desk chair, Victor’s legs were growing weak the longer Yuuri pressed against him and Yakov had rolled the chair over to him quickly when he wavered. Yuuri was curled in his lap, pressing gentle kisses to his neck and Victor kept having to jolt himself out of the haze. He needed to not let himself be pulled into whatever fog Yuuri was coaxing him into, needed to stay sane. 

The social worker walked in and smiled gently, walking right over to them and staring intently. 

“Well?” Yakov said impatiently. 

She hummed in thought. “Hmm…” 

“What’s wrong with him?” Yakov asked, even more impatiently. 

She stood up straight and looked to the old man. “I’m not an expert, so I highly suggest you find one for a second opinion, but I would say that perhaps they are Mates.” 

Victor shook his head. “No, we’ve never met before.” His voice was low, comfortable and slow. He was working very hard to stay out of Yuuri’s increasingly enticing fog and to stay present in the office. 

She gave him a sad sort of smile and shook her head too. “I don’t mean mates as in married.” 

She allowed the silence to linger in the air as, one by one, they each caught the meaning, the capitol Mates.

“I...didn’t think that happened anymore.” Yakov said, a little stunned. 

She gave a non-comittal little shrug. “As far as I’m aware, there hasn’t been a new Mated pair in over 50 years. But there’s no reason to think it isn’t possible.” 

Victor was still struggling not to relax fully. Yuuri was purring softly, tugging at his shirt and smelling so wonderful, but he needed to think. Mates? Like Yakov, he didn’t think that happened anymore. It had been happening less and less frequent over the past few centuries until the gaps between Mates became longer and longer, stretching over years and then finally, it had stopped all together. The last Mated pair had passed away over half a century ago and that had been that. 

The notion of Soul Mates had filled romance novels and romantic movies, fallen deeper into legend rather than history. Countless websites claimed to help you find your Mate through new technology, but they were all scams. 

“Do you have the number of an expert?” Victor asked, his words still dripping in slow near contentment. 

She nodded and handed a card to Yakov. “She’s actually a friend of mine, so I’ll give her a heads up to expect your call. But I wouldn’t take any chances until you speak to her. If they are Mates, they shouldn’t be forced apart.”

Victor couldn’t fight it anymore. He relaxed fully into the chair, letting out a soft little moan of enjoyment as Yuuri’s lips began pressing deliberately against his scent gland. The gland was always sensitive, some more than others, but overall it was highly pleasurable to have touched, and Yuuri knew it. Victor’s eyes glazed over as a surprised little gasp fell out of his mouth. “Wow…” he breathed, leaning into the touch as Yuuri grinned to himself. 

“I’ll call immediately.” Yakov said, stomping out of the room. He paused at the door and cleared his throat and the two women both jumped slightly, realizing they were staring, and followed him reluctantly. 

Victor heard the door shut, but he hardly noticed the sound or realized that it meant they were alone. Yuuri nuzzling his neck and jaw, pressing kisses and light touches all around the area, teasing him--avoiding the gland directly but still too close for the actions to not cause Victor jolts of pleasure. 

Yuuri liked this, he liked the slack, fully relaxed state of the Alpha. He liked that he caused it and he liked that he wasn’t being pushed away anymore. Victor grumbled happily from his chest and Yuuri felt himself purr in answer. Victor’s hand began to stroke Yuuri’s back slowly, encouraging the actions softly. This was true bliss, complete contentment and absolute perfection. 

In the back of Victor’s mind, beyond the fog that Yuuri was creating, there was a pang of anxiety, just a small bead of it lodged in the depths. Having a Mate would change everything. It wasn’t forbidden for Omega House Directors to be married, but it was somewhat frowned upon. There was an unspoken idea that if an Alpha had a mate, it made them weaker, softer, unable to lead properly. An idea that perhaps the Omega was in charge now, and that just wasn’t acceptable. He didn’t even know what it would mean if he had a Mate.

For ten years his world had been about his dream to bring up the prestige of this Omega House. His every thought, every action was a means to his goals and his mental health had been suffering for it. Sleep eluded him on a near constant basis and the sleep he did get was troubled. His diet was that of coffee and stale donuts with the odd take out thrown in and, though he looked healthy outwardly, he suffered from a persistent headache, lethargic muscles and a crick in his neck that he could never quite get rid of. 

The fog that Yuuri was providing relieved every single ounce of that. He had lived with the discomfort for so long that he had forgotten what not being in pain felt like. Yuuri was a soothing balm that he hadn’t known he had needed and his body had completely collapsed into the comfort. For once, Victor felt sleepy, truly sleepy, as if sleep was only a blink away instead of his usual fatigue that offered no healing sleepiness to aid him. 

Yuuri could feel Victor’s body slowly drift into unconsciousness; his hand falling still on his hip and his breathing deepening into slow even breaths. The desk chair that they were in was not comfortable for sure, but neither of them seemed to notice. Yuuri had not been plagued with the same demons that Victor had been, but he felt relief at being in his presence just the same. 

He felt steady, safe. He now knew what he was here for, why he had come to St. Petersburg and what he would be doing here from now on. He had never bought into the idea of someone else completing you--he was a whole person on his own, but Victor made him feel like the whole person he was, now had a whole reason to be. He felt secure and comfortable and as Victor’s deep, sleeping breaths continued, he fell asleep as well; lips pressed softly against the alpha’s neck and inhaling his scent with every breath. 

_________________________________________________________________________

  
  


Yuuri awoke on a soft bed that was absolutely saturated with Victor’s scent. His typical fetal position for sleeping had given way so that he was stretched out, limbs sprawled all over and twisted in a light sheet. He sat up and blinked, his vision coming slowly; first light, then shapes until it cleared into full sight. 

The room was mess, to be generous. Papers were scattered all around, in piles and heaps all over the ground. There was a small desk pushed against one of the dark blue walls, also covered in papers as well as empty coffee mugs and old discarded napkins. 

Other than the bed, the desk and the accompanying chair, no other furniture was present and it gave the horribly cluttered room an unfinished look. 

He stretched, groaning in vague pleasure at the motion and he stood up. The head of the bed was against a wall of windows covered in a thin veil of curtains that were perfectly still though letting translucent light come through from the morning sun. The foot of the bed faced the parallel wall where the desk, chair and the door were. He could hear birds twittering away and a faint buzz of cicadas coming in through the windows. It was a large room, with plenty of space for the king size bed and a number of other furniture, though they weren’t there. 

Yuuri could picture a small reading area by the fireplace--something he’d just noticed on the far wall perpendicular to the window wall. There was room for a few chairs or perhaps a small sofa and a couple of small end tables. He could picture it so clearly, that he vaguely wondered if he was seeing a vision rather than just imagining it. 

On the opposite wall of the unused fireplace there was a closed door with dim yellow light peeking through the cracks. He stepped toward it, hearing the pour of the shower and he smiled as Victor’s scent reached him from inside, a fragrance of soap and water covering it slightly. 

The shower turned off and a few moments later, the door opened and a damp haired Victor stepped through, a towel wrapped tightly around his waist. 

They looked at each other for just a moment and then Yuuri stepped forward, not really knowing what his plan was, but just wanting to be near the man. 

“Did I wake you?” Victor asked, a hint of concern in his voice. 

Yuuri thought for a moment. What had woken him? He remembered how the sheet had been twisted around his limbs and realized that he usually didn’t toss or turn while sleeping. Victor had obviously been in the bed too, his scent was all over it and fresh, suggesting they had been asleep together. 

“I think…” Yuuri began, wanting to be honest, but not wanting to upset Victor, “that when you left, I wasn’t able to sleep as peacefully anymore. I think after a few minutes that’s what woke me up.” 

Victor gave a silent but clear sigh and nodded. “I know what you mean, I don’t think I’ve ever showerd so quickly in my life.” And that was saying something. Victor didn’t linger on things that didn’t have to do with his work, so his habits had all adjusted to accommodate this. He ate quickly, showered quickly, brushed his teeth quickly--in the shower, dressed quickly. 

“How long have we been out?” Yuuri asked, rubbing his eye and yawning slightly. 

“It’s Friday morning.” Victor said, “Almost 7am.” 

Yuuri made a disgusted face. 7am? In Detroit he had been used to waking up at 5am every morning, so this was odd to have slept so late. “Wait, Friday?” He asked, shocked. 

Victor nodded, a guilty sort of grin on his face. Their meeting had been on Wednesday afternoon, so they had been out all of Wednesday evening and all day Thursday. Suddenly the pressure in Yuuri’s bladder made itself known and he darted past Victor, slammed the door and relieved himself gratefully. 

He washed his hands, and immediately his skin started to crawl slightly, this must have been the unease that had woken him and caused Victor to rush his shower. He flung open the door and Victor was right there. A relief washed over both of them and Yuuri smiled shyly. “Sorry.” 

Victor shook his head. “If you have to go you have to go.” He smiled and held his hand out, tentatively. 

Yuuri looked at the offered hand for only a second, then reached out and placed his own hand in Victor’s, letting his fingers trail softly over Victor’s palm before entangling their fingers together. Tingles erupted in little sparks all over his palm, crawling up his arm and through his body, leaving a warm calm in it’s wake. They sighed audibly together. 

Victor pulled gently, and Yuuri stepped closer. Victor’s skin was still slightly damp and Yuuri reached up, running a finger along a bead of water that was making it’s way down Victor’s collar bone. He felt the appreciative rumble from under Victor’s skin and he had to smile again. 

Their fingers danced together slowly, exploringly. Victor’s skin was rougher and callosed, a sign of his hands on work approach, while Yuuri’s skin was soft and smooth, showing his more sheltered life. Victor’s heart was racing slightly at the feel and he had to take a breath to keep steady. 

“I ordered food.” his voice was gruff and he cleared his throat gently. “I wasn’t sure what you would want, so I just got a little of everything.” 

Yuuri looked up from his chest and took a step back to see his face properly, though he never untangled their still dancing fingers. “Are we in a hotel?” He asked curiously. 

“No, this is my apartment I guess.” Victor said with a shaky chuckle. “It’s the top floor of the St. Petersburg House, I actually own the building and it’s just easier to live up here so that I am always close if there are any issues.” 

Yuuri gave a sly smile. “So you work a lot?” 

Victor nodded. “All the time.” 

“Well that explains why you were so tense the other day.” 

A knock interrupted them and Victor jumped slightly, looking over at the door. He pulled Yuuri with him as he went to answer, only dropping his hand when he reached forward and pulled in a serving cart filled with food. 

Yuuri was going to laugh at the overkill, but then his stomach growled loudly. “Oh…” he said softly. 

“Yes,” Victor agreed with humor, “I thought maybe you’d be as hungry as I was.” 

They ate in companionable silence, both stuffing their mouths as quickly as they could without making themselves sick. They were both sitting on the bed, crosslegged, knees touching so as not to cause themselves any discomfort while they took care of the gnawing hunger. 

Victor wasn’t a large man, but he certainly could put away some food. Yuuri watched, tickled as he ate two pancakes, 3 eggs sunny side up, 4 pieces of toast heavily buttered, a helping...no two helpings of hash browns and an near endless supply of bacon. 

Yuuri wasn’t much for heavy breakfasts but he did eat oat meal with mixed berries, a second helping of just berries, one peice of toast and 2 bananas. When he was finished, he felt full to bursting but it was a good feeling after the hunger. He laid back on the pillow and began tracing invisible symbols on Victor’s thigh as the Alpha continued to eat. 

“That’s...very pleasant.” Victor said in a far off voice, almost as if he didn’t realize he was speaking at all. 

Yuuri smiled, continuing with his tracing. “I don’t know why, but I have the strongest urge to just...touch you.” He said just as dreamily. 

When Victor had woken up that morning, it had taken him a moment to orient himself. He didn’t think he had ever slept so well in his life and he felt so rested and comfortable that it felt odd to him. He had laid there, watching the Omega breathe deeply and he wondered if Yuuri had ever had such a restful sleep in his life either.

He had planned to just go to the bathroom and come right back when he realized how badly he had to pee, but when he grabbed his phone and looked at it, he had been shocked to note that he’d missed a whole day of work. A plan for the day had never fully formed but he did know that he needed to shower and brush his teeth. So he had hopped in the shower. That was when he realized his skin was starting to tingle and his anxiety was growing. He always brushed his teeth in the shower so he grabbed the toothbrush and brushed hurriedly and jumped out just as quickly. 

Seeing Yuuri standing there had given him instant relief from the anxiety though he had an idea that if he could just touch him...just a little bit, it would be better. Yuuri had rushed off to the bathroom before he could act on the thought though and he’d spent a torturous few minutes waiting outside the door, practically pressed up against it in wait. 

“I know what you mean.” He said with a smile. “It’s almost as if I need to touch you to make sure you’re really here and not a dream or something.” Victor had never been very eloquent with words and he wished he could explain the sensation better, but Yuuri nodded his understanding immediately. 

“So are you going to work today?” Yuuri asked, wanting to know if they were going to be able to just lounge around all day. 

Victor’s brow furrowed and he made a noncommittal sound. “I’ve been out for over 24 hours. I feel like I should at least go and check on things.” His eyes scanned Yuuri with an almost pained look. 

“I could go with you.” Yuuri offered, sensing the Alpha’s dilemma. 

But he was only half correct in the worry. Victor didn’t want to be parted from Yuuri, not for any length of time. It was almost unbearable just to think the thought. But he also didn’t want to show up at his office, for any length of time, tied to an Omeag. 

He wasn’t ashamed of Yuuri, or even ashamed that he had a mate, but the thought of what people would think bothered him. I knew that it was probably already starting downstairs...for the first time in a decade he’d taken a day off where he wasn’t available in the slightest at all. The first show of change, weakness. If he showed up today, hand in hand with Yuuri, it would lodge the thought that he was getting distracted, further in his staffs minds, and he didn’t want that. 

“Or...maybe your assistant could bring the work up here?” Yuuri suggested, when Victor didn’t reply. 

Victor shook his head. “No, there are some things I need to see to in person.” He chewed on the inside of his cheek, a bad habit that he’d developed over the years. 

“And you don’t want me to go.” Yuuri said. It wasn’t a question, but a statement. Yuuri wasn’t fully aware of the reasonings behind the desire to work alone, but he knew that he could manage it. It would be difficult, he’d be on edge the whole time, but he could do it. 

“It’s not that I don’t want you to go. It’s just that, I need to focus and I’m not sure I’ll be able to.” Victor said, still thinking hard. 

“Well…” Yuuri said when the silence went on again. “Why don’t you go, and I’ll stay here?” 

Victor’s heart rate increased again at the thought and his eyes shot to Yuuri, letting him know that wasn’t an option either. Yuuri shrugged innocently. 

“I’ll be okay here alone for a few hours.” He lied smoothly. 

Victor’s head was already shaking before he’d finished his sentence though. “No, I--that is--I’d be distracted if you weren’t there too.” 

Yuuri heard the contradiction but he also understood it. So he sighed and tore a piece of bacon with his teeth and chewed. 

There was no right answer, Victor thought. Either way he was screwed. If he left Yuuri here, then he may not give the attention he needed to the tasks at hand. If Yuuri came with him then his staff would start to think he’d gone soft. He stood up suddenly and huffed. 

“Do you think you can just stand by me? No touching or anything?” Victor asked, not unkindly. Even that would be difficult, but maybe if they weren’t draped all over each other he could still show that he was the same Director he’d always been. Maybe seeing Yuuri there would start to make his presence normal and people would start to ignore the Omega being there. It was a long shot, but Victor knew he wasn’t going to stop working, he loved what he did too much, it was too important. 

Yuuri nodded, standing up too with a determined look on his face. “Of course I can.” He said with a firm nod. 

“Well…” Victor said, not fully convinced that this was a good idea. “Let’s get ready then.” 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Not only did the staff seemed to adjust to Yuuri’s presence there without losing respect for Victor, but they actually seemed to actually respect Yuuri as well. 

Three days went by with Yuuri becoming a permanent fixture at his side and he hadn’t heard any snide comments or seen any resentful gazes. He even caught the tail end of a conversation that morning between 2 staffers who were in the copy room. 

“I kind of like him, actually. He’s very sweet, always waves to me when they come down. Mr. Nikiforov never does that.” 

“I know, he really is darling. I thought maybe Mr. Nikiforov might be a bit less intense with an Omega, but that certainly didn’t happen, but at least he seems better rested. He’s not a full on grouch anymore.” 

Victor had been only slightly offended at the comment, but he smiled too. He knew that he wasn’t exactly friendly to his staff. He wasn’t rude or mean, but not friendly either. Maybe he should make a point to be a little nicer…

He and Yuuri were walking to his office from their now shared apartment. They had already fallen into a nice little routine despite the short amount of time, and Victor had to admit that he enjoyed it. 

Luckily they were both early risers so they would wake up together, Yuuri would lay in bed stretching and cuddling up to him while Victor would check his email on his phone for anything he’d missed in the night. 

Then Victor would shower while Yuuri ate breakfast and when they were done, Victor would dress while Yuuri showered. Victor would grab something to eat--usually some sort of fruit as Yuuri seemed to prefer that and Victor had made a point to order it every day. When Yuuri was showered and dressed, they would head down to the office floors. Victor would make his rounds, Yuuri never out of reach, and then they would settle in his office. 

Yuuri wouldn’t speak at all while they were walking around, even when other’s spoke to him. He would nod or shake his head, wave or smile, but never speak. Victor wasn’t sure why he made that choice though, because he was actually quite chatty when they were alone. 

Once they were alone in Victor’s office, Yuuri would lay down on the couch which had been brought in from one of the break rooms while Victor worked. While they had been together, they both realized that the need for actual contact was less and less necessary. The more time they spent together, the easier it was to actually be apart. 

On that first day, Yuuri had been so close to Victor that they were always touching in some way. Hands, shoulder, arm. It hadn’t been what Victor wanted, but the moment Yuuri was even a little out of reach, he’d panic and remedy the situation. 

But now, they could be well out of reach, though it still wasn’t preferable to touching, it was doable for sure. And Victor appreciated it. 

The expert they had been introduced to was named Mila and her assessment had only confirmed what Victor and Yuuri already knew. They had both recognized that their attachment was too fast and too desperate to be a typical attraction and that had only left the answer that the social worker had given. Mates. 

“I never thought I would actually get to meet a Mated pair!” Mila had exclaimed in awe when they had met. 

She had scheduled an appointment with them a day after they had woken up and her assessment was interesting to say the least. 

“There’s no doubt though, that’s what you are. The way your scents have mingled is a sure sign and if your descriptions are accurate then I can easily confirm it.” 

“What does this mean?” Victor asked, his fingers twirling around Yuuri’s under his desk. They hadn’t quite reached the stage where they could go long periods without touching a little. 

Mila had been eyeing both of them carefully, studying their movements and she shook her head at the question to bring herself out of study mode. “Well, really it just means that your biologies are basically made for each other. Everything about one of you will compliment the other, from your habits to your likes and dislikes to the most intimate parts.” She blushed at the last bit and Victor took in a breath. 

“In ancient times, Mates were a way for our species to thrive. You know that not every couple can have children, well back then it was even less likely. With wild animals, no technology or agriculture, our species struggled to survive. We evolved though and through Mates, we did thrive. The scientific community believes that the reason Mates are becoming more and more rare is because the need for them is gone. We’ve evolved again.” 

Victor huffed again, he really didn’t care for the evolution lesson and Mila chuckled nervously. “Sorry, it’s just that we really did think that there would be no more Mates. You must just be a straggler of that biology. But it really shouldn’t impact you once you’re more comfortable with each other. You’ll be able to go about your days as normal, perhaps a little anxious when you can’t see or touch each other, but history does show that the desire lessens once you acclimate.” 

“So I can still work without him being here 24/7?” Victor asked, squeezing Yuuri’s hand, trying to let him know that he didn’t mean it as rudely as it sounded. Yuuri gave a soft squeeze back, letting him know that he’d gotten the message. 

Mila nodded. “Oh absolutely. I wouldn’t force anything though. Mates are instinctual and your instincts will guide you. If you need to be together, then be together, but the need to always be around each other will lessen.” 

Victor nodded and gave a sigh of relief. 

“Could I ask…” Mila trailed off, blushing slightly and shaking her head. “I’m sorry.” She chuckled. 

“No, go ahead. What is it?” Victor said kindly. 

“Well...what does it feel like when you are apart? Is it a physical pain?” Mila had studied history and biology in school and was now a couples therapist, but her true passion had always been their shared biological history. It had always fascinated her and she had always been just a little saddened by the fact that the last Mated pair had died only 50 years ago--such a short time in the grand scheme of things. 

There were countless papers and books, guesses and theories, but to actually have a chance to study a live Mated Pair who were both young and at the beginning of their courtship was glorious. 

Victor considered a moment. He had a healthy respect for the scientist in Mila and understood her questions were not meant to be rude, just a need for information. “To me it feels a bit like prickling under my skin. Like when your leg falls asleep. And it gets worse the longer we’re apart.” 

Mila nodded encouragingly. “And Yuuri? Is it the same for you?” 

Yuuri sucked in a breath and spoke with a voice just above a whisper. “Maybe a little more intense?” He said as if a question. “It’s not physical, no, but it’s like I can’t breathe. I can feel my heart speed up and I can’t catch my breath. Then when I touch him...I can.” 

“Fascinating.” Mila said. 

They had agreed to meet with her once a month from then on, so that she could provide them with all the information they needed and so that she could gather a bit of research on the subject. When she left, they both had a sense of closure. They had known, instinctually, as Mila would say, but hearing it confirmed was like a weight off. And hearing that the intense need for contact would lessen had given Victor so much relief that Yuuri had to smile, knowing that he was no longer a cause for his anxiety. 

Yuuri stretched and yawned on the couch, grumbling slightly. Victor looked up, smiling when he saw the Omega flip over, letting his arm hang down over the side and brush the floor. 

“Bored?” Victor asked, smiling still. 

Yuuri sat up and chuckled. “Sorry. Maybe I should get some books or something. A jolt of panic ran through Victor at the words. He knew that the Omega probably meant indefinitely and not right now, but he was still getting used to him, still learning his phrases and meanings. He forced himself to smile though. Even if Yuuri did mean right now, it wouldn’t hurt them to try. He could easily pop upstairs grab a book and come right back down. 

“You can do that.” He said, keeping all panic from his voice. “Do you want to go grab one now?” 

Yuuri glanced up to the ceiling toward the apartment and then shook his head. “Uh...no, I’m fine.” 

Victor pushed away from the desk and stood up, giving a little stretch of his own. Let’s go get you one now. I haven’t really started anything so it’s the perfect time.” He walked to the door and held his hand out to Yuuri, who took it gently. 

For a moment, Victor was frozen there, enjoying the overwhelming relief of touching his Mate again since they had left the apartment an hour or so ago. Yuuri pulled himself into Victor’s chest and sighed with his own relief, inhaling the scent happily. 

Victor let his free hand wrap around Yuuri’s waist.Yuuri was just a few inches shorter than he was, but his body was soft and slight in comparison. Victor was not a large man, but he did tend to be a bit bigger than non-Alpha’s but that had never really registered with him before. It only registered now because Yuuri seemed to fit him perfectly. He could pull him in against him and the Omega’s body tucked perfectly under his chin. His waist had the defined Omega curve that Victor’s hand fit into naturally and the natural place Victor’s hand hit was the small of Yuuri’s back when they were walking. It just seemed like they were truly made for eachother and even though Mila had said as much, it was still a little odd to think of it. 

Yuuri nuzzled into his chest a little and Victor had the overwhelming desire to tilt the Omegas chin up and see if their lips fit together perfectly too. But he shook the thought away immediately. They had an unspoken agreement to take things as slowly as possible. This was new to both of them and neither of them had been expecting to court let alone fall for someone. They needed time to get to know each other. 

They stayed like that for a long moment, just enjoying the sensation of being together before Yuuri pushed himself away gently. “Come on, let’s get me that book so you can get back to work.” 

Victor appreciated this part of Yuuri’s personality already. He seemed to really care about what Victor cared about, he never wanted to keep him from doing his work or persuade him into doing something else. There weren’t many, but the few people Victor had dated over the years had shown him that this quality was unique to Yuuri. 

They got Yuuri a few books from the apartment and came back to the office in a matter of 10 minutes--something that they both knew would have been too long for either of their comfort, and once Yuuri was buried in the book happily, Victor got to work. 

Every few minutes, Victor would glance up, just to check that Yuuri was there, but other than that, he was just as capable of his work as he had been before Yuuri. There were the moments when he had the desire to get up and touch the Omega, but he always tried to take his mind off of it. Not only did he want to start training himself to be apart from Yuuri, but he also didn’t want to be the one who couldn’t take it. 

Maybe it was some ridiculous macho Alpha shit, but he knew that if Yuuri could stand to be away, then so could he. The thought had barely passed through his brain when he suddenly realized that Yuuri was standing next to him, chewing his lip and looking down at the floor, embarrassed. 

Victor reached his hand out and took Yuuri’s, pulling the Omega down into his lap in one fluid motion. Yuuri found his place, tucked under Victor’s chin and pressed his nose to the scent, sighing happily against him. 

Victor let his eyes close in the same happy feeling for one moment, enjoying the contact immensely. 

“I didn’t meant to interrupt.” Yuuri said in a murmur. 

Victor shook his head and hummed in his chest. “I’m at a good stopping place for a short break anyway.” He said, 100% not sure if that were true or not. 

Yuuri chuckled. “You know, last week if someone would have told me that the Director of my new House was going to let me sit in his lap, I would have thought they were insane.” 

The Detroit Omega House was a little different than the St. Petersburg House. While they were both state run it was clear, when you compared the two, that Victor not only cared more about the upkeep and state of the Omegas, but that Detroit House was vastly underfunded. 

The House itself was a old rundown brick building built in the early 1900’s. The brick had long since began to crumble in places and the roof was patchy in places which gave way to random leaks inside. The floors were sound, because they had been able to update those in the early 1980’s but even they were already showing signs of wear and tear. There was a small plaza in the back, fenced off by a chain link that had rusted almost clear through and had so many dips and breaks that it offered zero protection. 

The staff there was nice enough, in Yuuri’s experience most Houses had very nice staff, but there were always too few for the amount of Omegas present. A good rule of thumb was one staffer for every 10 Omegas and in Detroit House it was more like one staffer for every 35 Omegas. 

It was a constant battle to shower with hot water or get a hot meal because of the overcrowding and even though the staff was clearly trying their best, there was just no way to ensure that every Omega ended up in a happy situation. 

Houses served as a sort of weigh station for Omegas. Once an Omega was fertile, around 14 or 15 on average, they were often sent to a House where they would live until they found a mate or were no longer fertile. It wasn’t mandatory at all, and recently there was even a push for families to continue living with their Omegas. The problem was that fertile Omegas were in an extraordinary amount of danger. 

The Omega sex slave rings were rampet and absolutely everywhere--small villages, large cities, farming communities, urban jungles--everywhere. Fertile Omegas gave off a very particular scent so it was impossible to hide what they were, if someone caught the scent all they had to do was wait until the Omega was alone and then they would disappear forever. 

Families sent their children to the Houses to protect them because most families simply couldn’t afford to have someone stay with an Omega at all times. They were working class people, with full time jobs, school and other duties to tend to. It just wasn’t feasible for an Omega to stay when the danger was so close. 

Once at a House, Omegas were encouraged to continue with their lives as normally as possible. They were tutored in the Houses, so that they could still get an education, they were taught skilled labor and life skills as well. They were not locked up inside the Houses exactly, but it was important that there were enough staffers around when they were taken out and about--they could shop, go to movies, eat out, hike, go swimming--everything, so long as there were staff around to watch them. 

But, like so many, Detroit House simply couldn’t afford the staff they needed to do all of these things. Yuuri had finished his education and then practically nothing after that. He would go on the very rare outing when he was in his late teens, but they were always such a production that he stopped signing up for them. He had been resigned to his role--just waiting until he was no longer fertile and then he could go back home to his family, when the Detroit House had been shut down for good this time. 

Victor inhaled deeply and his shoulders relaxed. “I can’t imagine anyone ever not letting you sit in their lap.” he said, nuzzling Yuuri’s hair with his nose. “With a scent like yours, I’m surprised no one snatched you up well before now.” 

Yuuri bit back a smile, pulling his lip between his teeth gently. “I think maybe you’re the only one who is affected by my scent.” he laughed. “Though, why no one had snatched you up is still a mystery.” 

Victor chuckled breathily. “Maybe we’re just biased.” He suggested, letting his lips brush softly over Yuuri’s temple. The Omega hummed happily as a shiver ran down his spine.

“I don’t think so.” Yuuri said teasingly. “I’ve seen the way everyone eyes you--maybe I’m the only one attracted to your scent, but I definitely am not alone in thinking you’re handsome.”

Victor felt himself blush at the words. It wasn’t the first time someone had complimented his looks but he had never quite cared about it before. Now he felt himself desperately trying to be attractive for Yuuri, and enjoying the lingering looks the Omega gave him. And hearing the compliment was absolute bliss. 

“You must be too focused on me then.” He said, changing the subject, “Because you’ve caused more than one head to turn, yourself.” He reached up and pushed some of the unruly black strands of hair back out of Yuuri’s face. 

Yuuri hum laughed and signed, resting his head against Victor’s shoulder. “I know you should get back to work, but I’m so comfortable.” He said yawning slightly. 

Victor smiled, again appreciating Yuuri’s understanding of how much he cared about his work, but also completely agreeing that he was a little too comfortable to get back to it just yet. 

“Maybe we should move the couch over here again.” Victor suggested thoughtfully. Originally the couch had been right by the desk, facing it at a flipped L angle. Victor had moved his chair and desk top to the edge of the desk so that he and Yuuri could be in constant contact without the Omega having to sit on the floor at his leg. It was crowded and a pain to get out of when they were ready to go upstairs, but it had served it’s purpose well. 

After that first day, they had moved the couch out a little, and then a little more and a little more. Last night they thought they’d try having the couch against the wall fully today--they had been doing pretty well with the touch thing and it was worth a shot. But it clearly was too much for them. 

Yuuri nodded. “Not all the way--we’ve been doing well, but yeah, a bit closer.” 

Victor gave one low grunt of a laugh when neither of them got up to fix the couch situation and he sighed again, leaning back in the chair and letting his fingers run gently up and down Yuuri’s back. Just a few more minutes then. 

**Author's Note:**

> If you caught any mistakes, let me know! Otherwise beep boop leave a comment so that I know if this needs to be continued or not


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